Goa government has decided to disilt the whole Sal river of Salcete in order to construct 12 km-long bypass from Verna to Dharmapur on the National Highway 17.

After a lengthy debate on the issue in the Assembly, PWD minister Sudin Dhawalikar said the work would be taken ahead only after judging the scenario during coming monsoons and the possible threat to the villages along the road getting flooded.

Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva, who was adamant on not building the bypass along the stretch till last minute, finally withdrew his resolution when Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar assured him that the government would not allow villages to get flooded.

Caitu observed that the villages of Salcete are getting flooded mainly because the Margao city as well as Benaulim has come up with constructions in the paddy fields which also worked as reservoirs during monsoons.

He demanded that either a flyover be built all along the stretch or the bypass be diverted to the eastern bypass rather than passing it through the low-lying villages of Salcete.

Dhawalikar however said the issue would be solved once the whole Sal River is disilted.

To disilt, he said roads to Sal river need to be constructed which he cannot stop.

“We are disilting 12 kilometre stretch of Sal river, making it 10 mts wide and 6 mts deep so that no village would be flooded”, he said.

BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral, also an engineer by profession, suggested to him that the problem would not be solved unless the whole Sal River till the sea is disilted.

Dhawalikar said proposal in this regard has already been agreed to by union minister Nitin Gadkari.

Supporting Caitu’s demand, Margao and Fatorda MLAs Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai also expressed fear that villages may get flooded if no arrangement is made of monsoon water getting into the Sal River.

Labour minister Avertano Furtado also joined them, stating that building a bypass near Salpem lake would cause flood even if Sal river is disilted.

“You have to build a flyover there”, he suggested.

Dhawalikar informed the House that the whole bypass plan already includes two major bridges on the river, 10 small bridges, 32 culverts, 7 box culverts, 11 underpasses and one 110 metre long railway overbridge near Margao.

“If needed, I am also open for flyovers, but only after judging the situation during monsoons”, said Dhawalikar.

Govt should not undertake any activity of desilting unless each n every salcettekar agrees. Besides there r n nos of organisations of experts on every subject who must be consulted. Let there be flood till the solution is provided by these citizens.